Hungarian GIS Market Survey 1997.
Foreword to Hungarian GIS Market Survey 1997

Over the last couple of years focus in the development of the information society has moved from physical infrastructure to multimedia information content. Geographic information is important content because it is essential for management and administration of any territory and because of its extensive use in a multitude of applications. Moreover, geographic information is becoming a commercial product in its own right driven mainly by the private sector. Facilitating both national and European markets for geographic information is in the interest of all nations in Europe both individually and together in the context of deeper European cooperation. In particular the European market can only prosper if there is a joint effort between the countries to ensure that activities mesh and are harmonious. For the countries in Central Europe such compatibility is especially important as this will facilitate their accession to the EU.

Any actor wishing to operate successfully in a competitive market must first acquire an in-depth understanding of that market through collection and analysis of basic market data. Also governments need such insights in order be able to define and implement effective policies for helping markets develop.

Gaining this knowledge is precisely the purpose of the Hungarian GIS Market Survey '97. It contains a thorough and both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Hungarian market for geographic information including a comprehensive directory of the market actors in Hungary for geographic information.

Progress made in Hungary in the last years regarding geographic information has been very impressive. A national spatial data strategy has been accepted and everyone is now working enthusiastically towards its implementation. The fruits of these efforts are a market which has reached 20 MECU/year and is growing at 39% p.a.

Associations like HUNGIS and HUNAGI have been formed and they have quickly found their place in the international community through membership or links with similar supranational organisations such as EUROGI, CERCO, MOLA, GISIG and GSDI. This has also made it possible for Hungarian actors to take the lead in defining the ABDS project as one of the 30 pilot projects emanating from the Information Society Forum with Central Europe.

In the European Commission we are actively collecting market data for the emerging European market for geographic information with the same objectives as stated above. This report is an important piece in the puzzle for better understanding the greater European market.

I wish you, dear reader, much success from using this report.

Martin Littlejohn

PATRONS

Martin Littlejohn
Head of Section in Unit DGXIII E3
"Information Industries,
Awareness and Training"

Ferenc Somogyi
Responsible State Secretary
for European Integration
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
HUNGARY

Miklós Havass
President of HUNAGI
HUNGARY

Prof. Ákos Detrekői
President of HUNGIS
HUNGARY

EDITOR'S PREFACE

This Survey is aspiring to promote the integration of Hungarian GIS-related companies into the international GIS community. To that end we try to provide foreign professionals with information which is most up-to-date and as comprehensive as it is possible.
This brochure summarises the essentials. A more detailed information is also available on the Internet. If you need a Complete GIS Market Study, please do not hesitate to contact the editor:

Dr. Szilárd Szabó

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